Attempt to block MetroRail funding fails

By Stewart M. Powell

Published 7:41 pm, Wednesday, February 8, 2012

WASHINGTON - The committee chairman described it as a "food fight," an after-midnight bout as Republican Congressman Blake Farenthold tried to jimmy legislation to block federal money for Metro to build or extend the University and Uptown light rail lines.

In the end, his effort failed. But the wrangling in the wee hours last week spotlighted the countless little-noticed struggles that take place across Capitol Hill as lawmakers try to steer taxpayers' dollars toward projects they favor – and away from projects they oppose.

In this case, the stakes were potentially the future of Houston's light rail system and the unceremonious initiation of Farenthold, a freshman lawmaker with barely 13 months on Capitol Hill.

Farenthold's introduction of the restriction was a courtesy move done for a veteran colleague, Houston's John Culberson and a longtime Metro critic.

Lawmakers of the 59-member House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, incited by the proposal from Corpus Christi's Farenthold, argued over his bid to save taxpayers' money and uphold the will of Houston voters by blocking the funding.

Democrats' claimed that Congress was attempting to "micromanage" potential federal dollars for a distant and unfamiliar transit system.

Wishes of residents

First, Farenthold initially tried to block all federal funds to Metro. Then, he targeted his amendment to only federal support for the two planned lines within the $260 billion surface transportation legislation.

"Basically this amendment forces Metro to follow the wishes of the Houstonians who are overwhelmingly opposed to light rail on Richmond Avenue," Farenthold told the committee. "This is an extension beyond what the voters of Houston approved."

Metro chairman Gilbert Garcia said he had been "surprised that a congressman representing the citizens of Corpus Christi would get involved in our local matter."

But if Farenthold was hoping to enact the wishes of Culberson, Florida Democrat Corrine Brown stepped forward to raise the concerns of Houston's Sheila Jackson Lee, whose congressional district would be served by part of the proposed route. Brown said she took a call from fellow Democrat Jackson Lee, concerned that Republicans were attempting to stymie potential expansion of a system that serves many low income Houstonians.

Brown derided Republicans' attempted intervention, saying, "You all ought to be on the city council or the transit (committee). We're Congress."

At Culberson's request

Rep. John Mica, R-Florida, chairman of the Republican-led panel, threw up his hands.

"I'm the referee in this food fight," said the lawmaker. "We've spent the whole day and now into this morning with a lot of these local fights."

Farenthold's move to limit federal funds for the two lines failed on a roll call vote of 15 to 38, with 23 Republicans joining 15 Democrats to kill it.

"In this time of economic challenge, no member of Congress should be standing in the way of taxpayers' money coming back to their community in a fiscally responsible way," said Jackson Lee.

Culberson said later his amendment was merely designed to "help Metro keep their promise not to build" additional light rail lines that had not been approved by Houston-area voters.

Farenthold told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday he introduced the proposal at the request of Culberson because the planned light rail routes fell within Culberson's district.

"I regret some representatives are troubled that they were not adequately consulted," Farenthold said. "I have reached out to those members and plan on working with them on any concerns they may have."